Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- 2/3 c. brown rice syrup (honey may be used also)
- 1/2 c. all natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 3 T. unsweetened natural cacao powder (cocoa may be used)
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt or mineral salt
- 2 c. rolled oats
- 2 c. crispy rice cereal (that’s what makes them light & crunchy)
- 1 c. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
- Line an 8 X 8 inch pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Another healthier option would be to rub your pan with coconut oil. Yum!
- In a large glass bowl, microwave the brown rice syrup, peanut butter, & brown sugar on high for 1 minute. Stir to combine.
- Return bowl to micro and heat for 30 more seconds. Stir to combine. You can do an additional 30 seconds if everything has not melted well together.
- Add vanilla, cacao, & salt. Whisk to combine.
- Stir in oats.
- Stir in 1 c. rice cereal and mix gently so you don’t crush the mixture. Slowly add the extra cup of rice cereal until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s really drying out, then don’t all the whole second cup.
- Add 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Stir to combine. The mixture is warm so the chocolate will start to melt a little. Reserve the remaining 1/4 c. of chocolate chips.
- Turn mixture into prepared pan and pack it down firmly with spatula or hands.
- Evenly sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 c. chocolate chips & tap them down with the spatula.
- Cover pan with a sheet of foil or saran wrap. Place in fridge for 2 hours to set up the bars. 1 hour in the freezer, if you’re in a hurry.
- Remove the bars from the pan, place them on a cutting board, and slice. You can make them into bite size pieces or granola size bars for snacking. If making bars, wrap them individually in plastic wrap. If making bite size pieces, just put them in Ziploc baggies or containers. They will keep good for up to 1 month, or up to 2 months in the fridge. 6 months in the freezer.
- Start snacking!!
